Genesis 5:22-23. And (as for) this fragrant tree, no flesh has the right to touch it until the great judgment, in which there will be vengeance on all and a consummation forever. Benson, Ezra Taft. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (NIV). and Do we see this theme in ancient texts, or is this a complete innovation on the part of Joseph Smith as he sought to unite his followers around an inspiring and unifying goal? Wissenschlaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 360, ed. An individual, often the leader of the group or community, recounts how he has been taken up into heaven to stand in the divine council; b. Speaking to a community of Christian believers, the author declares, But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, . With Enochs Zion removed from the world, the residue of the people left behind continued to increase in wickednessa downward spiral that ultimately ended with the coming of the Great Flood to cleanse the earth of their iniquity. and lie down and rise up forever and ever. God made heaven and earth; at last he will remake both and join them together forever. In his book Edgar Cayce and the Kabbalah: Resources for Soulful Living, John Van Auken also credits Haniel as being "the angel who carried Enoch (who, according to the Bible, did not die but was 'taken by God' from Earth to heaven.". [20] A. F. J. Klijn, 2 Baruch, 4:23, p. 622, emphasis added. Faith and Scholarship Colloquies 3, 218-31. They were taken from earth to heaven by God. Vol. 10. 31. . When I first saw the photo that accompanied the inspiring New Years message and invitation for 2022 from President Nelson,[1] I could not help but think of the following verses from the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis about the city of Enoch (JST Genesis 9:2122): 21 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which I made unto thy father Enoch; that, when men should keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on the earth, the city of Enoch which I have caught up unto myself. (accessed December 8, 2021). . He then goes on to mention how Abraham, while he was wandering in the land of promise, living in tents, waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Heb. Hebrews 9:8. To use an example that I see as similar, the temporary transfiguration of Christ on the mountain height was, if anything, a preview of his anticipated exaltation and heavenly enthronement. New York City, NY: T & T Clark, 2006. The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 45:11-12. . Verses1920 of Hebrews 6 tell of the hope that the community holds dear: We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. Addams, R. Jean. Because of Enoch's preaching and leadership, the people of the City of Enoch were so righteous that "the Lord came anddweltwith his people" while they were on the earth (Moses 7:16). [31] R. Alter, Hebrew Bible, Psalm 85:[12], justice and peace have kissed, 3:206. The Pearl of Great Price: Verse by Verse Commentary. See https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/ ). 27 (Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1985), 1718. 1. Enoch Being Taken to Heaven by God - World History Encyclopedia With the help of these ancient sources, we are now in a better position than ever to assemble the most complete and detailed biography of Enoch to appear in modern times. One of the most significant additions to the biblical record in Josephs revelation on Enoch is not only that Enoch was taken up alive into heaven, as the Genesis passage implies, but also that the entire city of Enoch was eventually received up into heaven as well. In chapter 7 of the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith provides us with an extensive account of how Enoch built a city called the City of Holiness, even ZION (Moses 7:19). Based on the translation by Newsom in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XL, 166. The temple, the holy mountain, or the holy city, is the place for ascension into heaven, whether it be literal or ritual. The religion itself reminds me of an apocryphal book; there are wonderful gems inside as well as interpolations. Therefore, a mystical, heavenly ascent of the whole community would appear to be envisaged.15 Indeed, Jesus himself declares as much in John 14:2.16 He says, In my Fathers house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. The Resurrection of the Son of God. The fact that the Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice were also found at Masada indicates that this phenomenon was not limited to a group of sectarians living at Qumran. Mackie, Heavenly Sanctuary Mysticism, 98. Vol. Who was Enoch in the Bible? - CompellingTruth.org [4] G. W. E. Nickelsburg, 1 Enoch 1, 25:24, p. 312. I will briefly outline the pattern that I have been able to piece together, drawing on an array of different texts within these collections. The City of Enoch: Where it is now + more fascinating facts Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote: "After those in the City of Holiness were translated and taken up into heaven without tasting death, so . Harold Attridge, Paraenesis in a Homily ( ): The Possible Location of, and Socialization in, the Epistle to the Hebrews, Semeia 50 (1990): 217. Community is provided access to the heavenly temple by Jesus, their High Priestthey are exhorted to boldly enter the heavenly sanctuary and draw near to Gods throne (4:1416; 10:1925).14. c. 1105. The patriarchs and those in the monarchy, as well as those who lived in ancient Palestine before the sixth-century BCE Babylonian exile, did not imagine that the dead would be raised.. Was Enoch Taken to Heaven? | United Church of God Rather my hope is that in reading and applying his message and the lessons of the story of the city of Enoch we will remember that the glorious day of the return of heavenly Zion to the earth depends on the degree to which each of us individually embrace the truth and look upward (JST Genesis 9:22). When the people of God were attacked, their enemies fled to "a land out of the depth of the sea, and so great was the fear of the enemies of the people of God, that they fled and stood afar off and went upon the land which came up out of the depth of the sea" (Moses 7:14), which could have been anisland or a peninsula in the general region of the City of Enoch. The Bible contains a brief but intriguing verse that mentions how one human being in historyEnochdidn't die, but instead went directly to heaven: "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more because God took him away" (Genesis 5:24). During this vision, Enoch also saw the divine destiny of Zion. Eventually, the people of the City of Enoch were translated and taken from off the earth. We also know that Enoch did not preach to the Canaanites, a band of people responsible for the annihilation of the people of Shum (Moses 7:7). (Leiden: Brill, 1999), 2:465. Later, referring to the publication of the Book of Mormon, the Prophet wrote (J. Smith, Jr. et al., Histories, 1832-1844, History Drafts, 1838Circa 1841, Draft 2, p. 386, emphasis added): It had now come to pass that, Truth had sprung out of the earth; and Righteousness had looked down from Heaven, so we feared not our opponents, knowing that we had both Truth and righteousness on our side. They asked Zosimus all about the happenings on Earth and then proceeded to recount their own history and how they came to live in Paradise. "Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. [30] G. W. E. Nickelsburg, 1 Enoch 1, 11:2, p. 216. This is the trajectory that Joseph Smith elaborates in his grand revelation on the kingdoms of heaven recorded in Doctrine and Covenants76. [1] https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2022-01-01/president-russell-m-nelson-suggests-3-resolutions-in-his-first-message-of-2022-238652 . Though he asked God "wherefore am I thy servant?" Enoch was 430 years old at that time. ( Read Moses 7 .) Thus, in the MCP depiction of BG, in the Book of Moses, and in the envisioned latter-day City of Zion, God dwelt in the midst, literally and symbolically central in the eyes of His people. We know this because Enoch received many visions from God and "walked with him" (D&C 107:49) and talked with Him "face to face" (Moses 7:4). Jarringly, the Lord immediately followed His welcome promise with a terrible warning of great tribulations that would take place before that day (Moses 7:61). 2 vols. Stained glass design for the Chapel of the Ascension, Bayswater Road, London. For example, Moses, when he ascended Mount Sinai into the presence of God, left the general body of the Israelites down at the bottom of the mountain and even left the seventy specially chosen elders at the halfway point before ascending to the heights. [2] Ascent and transformation of BGs thirty-two divinely prepared cities of earthly Zion to thirty-two palaces of heavenly Zion atop Mount Sumru. Such individual ascent was probably the exception, rather than the rule.22, Alexander goes on to suggest that the leader of this liturgy, much like Enoch, would likely have already made the ascent himself and would thus be qualified to lead his congregation into the celestial realm. Upon entry into the heavens, the Christian community hears the declaration, Ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant (Heb. Imagine a 365-year-old citydisappeared. 12:2224). Metzger, Bruce M. The Fourth Book of Ezra. In The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, edited by James H. Charlesworth. 29. Going further, though Ksa recognizes an obvious correspondence of some kind between the visual depiction of thirty-two palaces at the top of Mount Sumru and the report in the BG text of thirty-two towns for the repentant gibborim at the base of Mount Sumru he finds it difficult to reconcile the fact that the palaces shown at the top within MCP are definitely not towns; [neither are they] at the foot of the mountains as is described in the text of BG.[5]. Elijah was the second man to be taken to heaven in a natural body, Enoch being the first (Gen. 5:24; Heb. But that didn't mean that those who weren't in the city at the time were out of luck. Whereas the idea of Enoch, as an individual, ascending to heaven is common in the ancient religious literature regarding the patriarch, parallels to the notion of his entire community being translated and taken up as well are not so apparent. All the homesgone. Elder Alvin R. Dyer observed that the dimensions of the drawing of the Prophets proposed temple structures for Zion were 610 x 870, thus matching the dimensions of the Latter-day Saints Visitors Center, finished in 1981 and located on part of the Independence Temple Lot owned by the Church (Alvin R. Dyer, Report of Meeting with President David O. McKay, diary, March 10, 1967, accn. Orem and Salt Lake City, UT: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2021. https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-past-and-future-of-the-temple-lot-in-independence-jackson-county-missouri/. What is the book of Enoch and should it be in the Bible? [23] H. C. Kee, Testaments, Levi 10:5, p. 792. . 1, 91-221. City of Enoch Taken Up to Heaven Genesis 6-11; Moses 8 Noah and the Ark Tower of Babel Genesis 12-17; Abraham 1-2 The Lord delivers Abraham from wicked priests Abraham gives Lot his choice of land Abraham pays his tithes to Melchizedek Abraham marries Sarah's handmaiden, Hagar Timothy H. Lim and John J. Collins (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010), 443. Although the text does not explicitly depict this large company ascending into heaven together with Enoch, it does state that when the kings of the land came to find these thousands of followers of Enoch, they were not found and were thought to be dead.6, Another account that is very similar to the story of Enoch and the City of Zion, but which involves the ascension of a different group, is the early Jewish story entitled The History of the Rechabites. This document tells of a man named Zosimus, who was taken up into Paradise, where he encountered a group of luminous beings called the Blessed Ones. These Blessed Ones, to whom Zosimus also refers as earthly angels, were surprised to see him in their midst and expressed that they did not expect to meet mortals until the end of the world. Furthermore, the text says that men who came up unto this [priesthood] order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven. Melchizedek, we are told, was a priest of this order and was able to obtain peace in the city he ruled, the city of Salem. The painting portrays the biblical character Enoch being taken to heaven by God.He was the son of Jared, the father of Methuselah, and an ancestor of Noah.Enoch was a key figure in the Old Testament who was said to live 365 years before he was taken by God to heaven. . Tvedtnes, John A. Genesis 5:24 tells us that "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him." Hebrews 11:5 adds: "By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, 'and was not found, because God had taken him'; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Some erroneously jump to the conclusion that Enoch was taken up . So Enoch was snatched up from earth to heaven, and then we are told "that he did not see death." A plain reading of Hebrews 11:13 seems to say that Enoch actually did experience death. : Afterlife Animal Miracles. Did Enoch and Elijah die and go to heaven? | NeverThirsty He saw God receive Zion "up into his own bosom" (Moses 7:69). 13. (accessed December 18, 2021). 2. George Nickelsburg and James VanderKam see this passage as a compelling reference to resurrection (ibid., p. 268). Liverpool and London, England: Latter-day Saints Book Depot, 1853-1886. [26], N. T. Wright, the well-known Anglican bishop and New Testament scholar, described the uniting of heaven and earth as follows:[27]. Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies 90. Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. A possible description we have of where the City of Enoch might have been located is in Moses 7:17, which states that the people of Enoch "were blessed upon the mountains, and upon the high places, and did flourish," making it possible that the City of Enoch could have been built somewhere in a mountainous region. Maxwell, Neal A. Even after Zion was taken off the earth, there were still those taking up residence in the city. Lukes tale of the prodigal son turns out to be not symbolic foreshadowing, but literal foretaste, of a greater reunion. Jrg Frey, 145-86. This seems to indicate that communication between heaven and the children of men would be severed due to wickedness. I beheld the sons of the holy angels treading on flaming fire, whose garments and robes were white, and whose countenances were transparent as crystal. Carol Newsom, Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice: A Critical Edition, Harvard Semitic Studies, vol. See also Mackie, Eschatology and Exhortation. (NIV) Genesis 5:24. This latter-day city is described in modern scripture in close connection with descriptions of Enochs ancient city (see, for example, Doctrine and Covenants 45:1114). 17). 14. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain [veil], where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. Bradshaw, Jeffrey M., and David J. Larsen. Often times in our anxiety to live Gods commandments, we focus on everything we should avoid to remain righteous. 1874. Enoch, the Watchtower, and rightly handling Scripture | carm.org . They declared that they were originally from Earth, where they were known as the sons of Rechab. Because they would not obey the wicked King Jehoiakims request that they renounce their covenants and abandon the Lord, they were imprisoned. Orem and Salt Lake City, UT: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2020. Scholars give various reasons why Elijah and Enoch (or possibly Moses) will be . Why did God take Enoch and Elijah to heaven without them dying? "And Enoch beheldangelsdescending out of heaven, bearingtestimonyof the Father and Son; and the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught up by the powers of heaven into Zion" (Moses 7:27). As a result, the text says, his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world; And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together (Gen 14:3235, JST). To help you remember that these great events are coming, you will need: heavy paper, glue, scissors, a sharpened pencil, and . He is also said to be leading . Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible. Who are the two witnesses in the book of Revelation? The Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary. And this will be your garment, the garment of life from the Lord of Spirits; and your glory will not fade in the presence of the Lord of Spirits. Translation by Newsom in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XL, 165. Why were Enoch and Elijah taken to heaven without dying? [25] F. I. Andersen, 2 Enoch, 55:2 [J], p. 182. 5. Although they do not feature Enoch or his city explicitly, there is a recurring theme in some of the texts that corresponds to the idea of a priestly figure who leads a community of priests in an ascension into the heavenly realm. There are numerous biblical and pseudepigraphal texts that relate the ascensions of great biblical heroes such as Abraham, Jacob, Levi, Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, and Paul. See, for example, Philip S. Alexander, The Mystical Texts: Songs of the Sabbath Sacrifice and Related Manuscripts, JSPSupp 61, Companion to the Qumran Scrolls 7 (London: Continuum, 2006), 129; Israel Knohl, Between Voice and Silence: The Relationship between Prayer and Temple Cult, Journal of Biblical Literature 115, no. Get more fascinating insights into the scriptures withThe Pearl of Great Price: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary. James R. Davila, Melchizedek: King, Priest, and God, in The Seductiveness of Jewish Myth: Challenge or Response, ed. Doctrine and Covenants 110:1: The veil was taken from our minds.See also a phrase added to the end of Genesis 9:26 in theJST: and a veil of darkness shall cover him (S. H. Faulring et al., Original Manuscripts, OT1, p. 118; OT2, p. 632. The idea of Melchizedek (if not his city with him) being taken up into . In The Angel Bible: The Definitive Guide to Angel Wisdom, Hazel Raven says that Haniel was one of the seven angels Enoch saw come together in a glorious way: "Enoch saw the seven angels before the throne of God as alike (they were also composite rather than single beings and represent countless others). 3 (1982): 31132. According to the Bible, Enoch and Elijah are the only two people God took to heaven without them dying. Do Animals Go to Heaven? During the millennium, the people of Enoch will return to help build the kingdom of God on Earth. Translation by Newsom in Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XL, 166. Re: City of Enoch [11] For examples, see J. 26 vols. The Story of Archangel Haniel Taking Enoch to Heaven. 20. Linda McCarthy (1947-): The City of Enoch, 2002. Reprint, Salt Lake City, UT: Bookcraft, 1966. Papua New Guinean Saints Rejoice as Ground is Broken for New Temple. But (we experience only) quietness and gladness; and (exhibit) love and affection toward God and each other.7. In this passage, the speaker proclaims to God, You have illumined my face for your covenant. Cf. Regarding those who are destined for celestial glory, it says, They are they into whose hands the Father has given all thingsThey are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Fulfilling his covenant to preserve the lineage of Enoch upon the earth, the Lord left behind Enoch's son, Methuselah, and grandson, Lamech (Moses 8:2, 5). 7. It will immeasurably enrich your understanding of such doctrines as the nature of God, pre-mortal life, the Creation, the Fall, the Atonement, the establishment of Zion, the Last Days, and the Second Coming. Whether or not by sheer coincidence, the symbolic geography shared by the Manichaean BG fragments and Manichaean Cosmology Painting (MCP) are mirrored in a general way in the itinerary of the gathering and the layout for Joseph Smiths City of Zion in Missouri. Andersen, F. I. Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. How did Elijah send a letter to King Jehoram, if Elijah had already been taken to heaven. Samuel I. Thomas, The Mysteries of Qumran: Mystery, Secrecy, and Esotericism in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009), 209. Peter W. Flint and James C. VanderKam, 2vols. The archangels also kept the record of all the incarnations of every human being.". The book of 3 Enoch features archangel Metatron (who had originally been the prophet Enoch before becoming an angel in heaven) reflecting on what happened when archangel Haniel came to take him on a trip from Earth to heaven. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 2005. . 2:11- 12) and a whirlwind (2Ki. It's very possible, then, that the citizens of the City of Enoch have ministry assignments of their own and are "ministering angels unto many planets," (History of the Church, 4:210). She is the author of the book "Wake Up to Wonder.". 17172. The Narrative of Zosimus and the Book of Mormon. Cover image: Left: President Russell M. Nelson looks up in a photo included with his first message of 2022; Right: Enoch looks up as he is taken up to the presence of God. The presence of these themes in a variety of documents leads us to speculate that the concept of communal ascent to heaven was widespread at Qumran. After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Original drawing prepared at the direction of Joseph Smith, Jr. in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1833 by Frederick G. William and mailed to Edward Partridge and others in Independence, Missouri, in June 1833. All the inhabitantsgone. Proceedings of the Fifth Interpreter Foundation Matthew B. Enoch - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints My thanks to John W. Welch for bringing this to my attention. (accessed October 28, 2021). Discourse by President Brigham Young, delivered in the Third Ward Meeting HOuse, Salt Lake City, Sunday evening, June 23, 1874. BG scholar Gbor Ksa sees the thirty-two palaces, shown on the foliage [at the top] of the tree-like Mount Sumru, as implying a divine association; this is reinforced by the presence of three divine figures in front of the [much bigger] thirty-third palace, with the central figure seated on a lotus throne and the two [attendants] standing on either side. Enoch, Noah, and the Tower of Babel. 27. Similarly, Moses 7:69 states, "And Enoch and all his . While there are many theories about where the City of Enoch could have been, there's not enough evidence to give an exact location of where it was built. 2 vols. As time progressed toward the flood, the righteous were caught up to join . R. D. Draper et al., Commentary, p. 146. I will cite here examples from the pertinent Qumran texts to demonstrate each of these points. Givens, Terryl L., and Fiona Givens. Whitney Hopler is a writer and editor who has covered faith since 1994. (accessed October 28, 2021). [32] Church History Library, MS 2567. They were all equal in height, had brilliant faces and identical robes. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1983. Philip Alexander, Qumran and the Genealogy of Western Mysticism, in New Perspectives on Old Texts: Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium of the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature, 911 January, 2005, ed. The text reads that Enoch "walked with God: and he was no more; for God took him" (Gen 5:21-24), which is interpreted . A new take on the parable of the lost sheep may change how you see yourself in the church, 5 things Latter-day Saints should know about ancient Christians, 6 temple dresses + accessories Latter-day Saint women will love. Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2007. This series of articles introduces a new book entitled Enoch and the Gathering of Zion: The Witness of Ancient Texts for Modern Scripture (see review at: https://latterdaysaintmag.com/a-new-biography-of-enoch-and-an-excellent-tool-for-the-book-of-moses/ . Thus began a vision of what would happen to the earth from then to the Millennium, and where Zion would eventually be located. Joseph Smith Histories, 1832-1844. The text goes on to imply that all of the patriarchs were seeking to reach, or return to, a country or a citya heavenly city (Heb. In Hebrews, all of the patriarchs were seeking to reach that city, and Jesus made it possible for all Christians to make it there. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1989. Why did God take Enoch and Elijah to Heaven without them dying? - eBible For the Qumran community, their religious practices gave them the experience of being there, praising God among the angels. 274ff; G. L. Mitton, Book of Mormon As a Resurrected Book. The Doctrine and Covenants, Section 38:4. [10] R. D. Draper et al., Commentary, p. 146: Because one of the titles for the Savior is the Righteous (Moses 7:45, 47), this prophesied event may well refer to the coming of the Savior in the latter days, perhaps to the youthful Joseph Smith, thereby anticipating the restoration of the Gospel. Three authors who are experts in ancient cultures bring you this verse-by-verse, even word-by-word commentary, the most thorough and reader-friendly treatment available. Regarding their sinless and harmonious state, they explained, Among us there is no sickness, pain, fatigue to our bodies, mutilation, weariness, or temptations; not even Satans power can touch us, for there is not among us rage, jealousy, evil desire, or hateful thoughts. In this article, I will explore the notion of communal ascent to heaven in ancient Jewish and Christian literature and seek to answer the questions, Can an entire community ascend to heaven? Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book, 1980. The description of the flood of righteousness and truth that will result in the gathering of the elect in the last days is in deliberate counterpoint to the account of the flood of water that brought about the destruction of the wicked in Noahs day. When he was 65 years old, Enoch, the seventh patriarch after Adam, was called by God to be a prophet. 1 Enoch 1: A Commentary on the Book of 1 Enoch, Chapters 1-36; 81-108. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1983. [15] See, for example, J. H. Charlesworth, Resurrection Beliefs, p. 223, who writes: In the history of the theologies of Israel, resurrection belief is clearly found only in very late literature. Klijn, A. F. J. After all, Latter-day Saints have been called, like Enochs people, to more fully engage our hearts and accelerate our labors in a spirit of consecration until the Enochs vision of a true and permanent Zion becomes a reality. 1334, box 46, f 6, cited in R. J. Addams, Past and Future of the Temple Lot (TMZ 2020), p. 65). Rashi imagines a landscape in which all Israelites will kiss one another., Differing with the Lords previous instruction to Enoch, He delivers His word as a monologuethere is no reply from Enoch this time, only an epilogue from the narrator. Reprinted in J. Smith, Jr., Teachings, December 1835, p. 98; J. Smith, Jr., Teachings 2007, p. 301): Let us now take the Book of Mormon, which a man took and hid in his field; securing it by his faith, to spring up in the last days, or in due time; let us behold it coming froth out of the ground, which is indeed accounted the least of all seeds, but behold it branching forth; yea, even towering, with lofty branches, and God-like majesty, until it becomes the greatest of all herbs; and it is truth, and it has sprouted and come forth out of the earth; and righteousness begins to look down from heaven; and God is sending down his powers, gifts and angels, to lodge in the branches thereof. To arrive at the answers to these questions, I will analyze a number of ancient Jewish and Christian religious texts that feature the ascent to heaven motif and suggest that not only did their authors envision an individual ascent, but they also imagined groups or communities raised up to the celestial realm.
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